


The Witcher and his cat

by A_fighter_like_Eowyn



Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Animals, Boys In Love, Cats, Comfort, Comfort No Hurt, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Has Feelings, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Whump, Good Friend Triss Merigold, Good Friend Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Good Parent Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Good Parent Jaskier | Dandelion, Happy Ending, Idiots in Love, Insecure Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Has Feelings, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, Just Add Kittens, Love, Loving Marriage, M/M, Married Couple, Mpreg, No Angst, POV Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Parent Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Parent Jaskier | Dandelion, Pets, Pregnancy, Pregnant Jaskier | Dandelion, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion, Protective Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Same-Sex Marriage, Sappy, Sappy Ending, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Soft Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-25
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:09:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27189125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_fighter_like_Eowyn/pseuds/A_fighter_like_Eowyn
Summary: That one time that Geralt rescued a cat.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Triss Merigold, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier | Dandelion & Triss Merigold, Jaskier | Dandelion & Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Triss Merigold/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Comments: 20
Kudos: 110





	The Witcher and his cat

Geralt stops dead in his tracks.

There's that sound again. Small, timid, but unmistakably _there_.

He peers into the gathering gloom of the evening, but the fast-descending blanket of darkness is even heavier thanks to the brooding, overcast skies. It has rained cats and dogs throughout the daytime, and it has left the already bleak weather even more dreary and dank. The country roads are pockmarked with puddles and potholds, and Roach seems to enjoy splashing through the murky rainwater collected in them, but Geralt has to be constantly on the alert, lest her hooves sink into deep, gurgling mud and she sprain herself. It has, quite unsurprisingly, not failed to put him in a rather foul mood.

Speaking of cats and dogs, by the way ...

The meow now sounds a tad bit louder, and considerably more desperate.

Geralt does not really go very gaga over animals, no matter how fluffy and chubby and cuddly they may be. It's one of the very few things that Jaskier has always held against him.

With a fond smile involuntarily tugging at his lips, Geralt recalls one of the several conversations (read: practically one-sided arguments and subsequent admonitions by Jaskier) where his bard became particularly attached to a huge black cat with a long, flowing and admirably soft coat. The kitty was a resident of the well-to-do inn where the two of them had been staying for a while (as Geralt received several assignments around that area), and a very affable, very curious animal who took to Jaskier more or less from day one. 

Geralt, however, the cat gave a rather wide berth to. Likely because he ignored him with his usual grumpy demeanour.

"I mean, how? How can one _not_ swoon over a kitty like that?", Jaskier sounded affronted, scratching behind the perked-up ears of the feline perched on his lap and purring contentedly, "I mean, look at him. Look how cute and gorgeous and chubby he is. Don't you want to squish him? Kiss that sweet round face?"

As if to demonstrate, the bard lowered his mouth and pressed a loving kiss to the top of the kitty's furry head, and was instantly rewarded with a lick to his cheek. 

Geralt chuckled. "Well, I certainly enjoy kissing and squishing and cuddling, but not that kitty, no."

And the coy tone of his voice made Jaskier look up, and the human immediately blushed a deep magenta.

"Oh come on", he mumbled, his eyes dipping down, and he began worrying his lower lip between his teeth - a nervous tick of his that his Witcher had come to love.

And Geralt smiled fondly, and pulled his bard closer, cat and all, and Jaskier melted into his embrace. Interestingly, the cat did not shy away from Geralt this time.

Threading his fingers through his human's hair, Geralt pressed a soft kiss to those chestnut brown curls. 

"All I ever need in my life is you, my love. But if you think you _absolutely_ want to adopt a cat, and you think you and I together can take care of it properly, despite the itinerant lives that we are currently leading, then yes, we shall get a cat."

"We shall?", Jaskier's voice rose nearly an octave in joy and excitement, and his eyes sparkled as he looked up at Geralt with a beaming smile on his face.

"Only if we can do justice by the animal."

Jaskier nodded, and settled his head back against Geralt's chest. "Also, maybe, once we settle down ... I mean, once we have a cottage ... I mean ..."

Geralt let out a rumbling chuckle at the shy hesitation in his bard's tone. 

"Mm-hmm, and once somebody becomes pregnant and gives birth to our children ..."

Even without looking at Jaskier's face, Geralt knew his bard was blushing furiously. Jaskier squirmed, burrowing deeper into Geralt's chest, evidently trying to hide his flushed face. The kitty in his lap meowed loudly, then looked up at Geralt with huge yellow eyes.

"Then yes... I think the children will love having a kitty, or a few kitties, as playmates."

**********************************************************

Geralt shakes himself out of his reverie. Reminiscence will have to wait. By the sound of it, the animal is likely cold and sopping wet, and would surely die of hypothermia if Geralt does not find it soon. 

"Kitty?", Geralt calls out in an uncertain voice.

He is answered by a piteous meow, somewhere quite close.

Oh good! The animal is not very far from him. He can now only pray that it is not at the bottom of one of the gaping wide ditches that have opened up like huge maws on either side of every village road now that the monsoons have arrived.

He slides off Roach's back, then carefully takes a few paces away from her, his ears perked up for the briefest sound, and his amber-gold eyes glimmering uncannily in the swirling darkness. 

"Kitty? Here, kitty, kitty! C'mere, kitty!"

The meow sounds closer, louder and more hopeful now.

"Where are you, kitty? Here ... over here, kitty!"

He feels more than sees it ... something bounds towards him - a medium-sized furry ball - landing on top of his left boot. 

"Meow!", it cries, as if to announce itself.

Geralt can now tell why it has been so hard to see the animal in the dark -- its coat is of a shade that appears black even to his enhanced, night-vision-enabled eyes. The only things that he can descry about the cat that now clings to the hem of his breeches are its eyes - they are heavily lidded, but he can certainly see the soft bluish-white gleam in them.

He stoops and picks the thing up in his hands. The cat does not protest in the slightest, and simply goes limp in his hands. He immediately concludes that this is not a feral animal, but rather a domestic one that has spent a considerable amount of time around humans and trusts them quite easily.

"Whatever happened to you, little one? Did you run away from home? Or did you leave home with the intention of going back, but it never happened?", he whispers, and the cat just lets out a tiny purr-like groan, as if in affirmation. 

It's not scrawny, he can tell that, so that just confirms his hypothesis about it being a house-cat who probably lost its way or got chased away by someone or something. 

In any case, the creature is sodden wet and shivering in his palms, so he does not have the heart to stand there in the chill of the evening and ponder the reasons behind its current whereabouts. 

Instead, he turns back towards Roach. He is fairly certain the mare would not mind this new addition to their little traveling party, but just to be sure, he brings the furball, now safely cocooned in his large arms, up to her muzzle, to let her take a sniff. She does, and swishes her tail a bit wildly, and lets out a shrill neigh.

"Easy, girl", he murmurs, a hand caressing the mane on her neck, but Roach still tosses her head and whinnies loudly. However, it does not sound like she is upset.

"What's the matter, Roachie? This little one needs to come with us, to somewhere safe and warm", he tries to placate her.

And then, the strangest thing happens.

_The cat extends one of its front paws and lightly touches Roach's muzzle, with a soft, sweet "Mauu?"_

_And if Geralt didn't know better, he would have thought that Roach essentially melted at the touch._

"Hmm, that'll be a first. Well, a second. You only ever react like that towards Jasky."

Roach stares at him as if he has grown two heads. He ignores her. 

Balancing the kitty in the crook of one arm, drawing it close to his chest to better shelter it from the cold, rain-loaded gusts of wind that buffet them from time to time, he uses his free hand to untie his saddlebag and adjust the spare clothes he has in it so as to make them serve as a cushiony seat for the kitty. He is thankful Jaskier scolded his ears off until he caved in to his bard's demand that he carry one of his downy cloaks with him ... because right now, it will prove to be a very comfortable makeshift cushion-bed for the little animal.

Gingerly, he places the dripping cat inside the bag. It fidgets a bit before settling down in its rather warm, temporary refuge, and gives his fingers a grateful lick.

"Comfy?", he musses the wet hair on its head, then hoists himself on to Roach's back. Pulling the drawstrings until only a little bit of gap remains in the saddlebag's opening, allowing ample air for the animal to breathe in, he gently nudges Roach's flanks.

"Let's go, love. Ride nice and steady but not fast, until we are home."

*******************************************************

When the thatched earthen hut comes into view, Geralt notices that a lamp has been lit and hung from a hook on the wall in the porch. He smiles ... he loves this evening ritual of Jaskier's. Jaskier makes it a point every evening to light pretty little lanterns on the porch and along the pebbled garden path that leads up to the hut's doorsteps. And Geralt cannot deny that it does make the hut feel even more like home, and makes Geralt feel warm and loved and _stable_ to his core.

As he gently urges Roach forward, he hears a soft meow from inside the saddlebag, and pulling the mouth of the bag open, he reaches down and pets the furry head poking out of it. The kitty looks drowsy, and she sways a bit, snuggling against his palm for warmth. The soft downy fur tickles his skin, and he smiles fondly at the little one. It looks sleepily up at him and blinks, and Geralt is mesmerized by the beautiful, crystalline blue sheen its irises shimmer with.

"Your eyes are nearly the same colour as my Jasky, did you know that, little one?", he coos to it, and it purrs contentedly, leaning against his palm, "I hope you will like it inside, love... because I can bet my life that you are going to win my husband's heart in no time. He is going to fall in love with Your Squishiness from the very first moment he sets his eyes on you!"

Geralt wonders, briefly, if his senses are playing tricks on him or if the cat's eyes truly did light up for a moment, and it let out an enthusiastic "Meeeoooo!"

"Yes, just a little more patience, love, and you will be safe and warm and dry and fed until your belly's all full. Okay?"

Helping her settle inside the bag once more, he croons to Roach and she trots up the garden path. But the clippety-clop of her hooves, thanks to years of training in stealth - an indispensable skill to master when going on assignments that involve slaying particularly alert and vicious monsters - is rather muffled, and the sounds of plummeting raindrops all around them help smother it some more.

As he reaches the lowest steps of the house and slides down Roach, he hears the soft sounds of excited chatter, punctuated by high-pitched laughter.

_Good. His two favourite women are here, and Jaskier, as usual, is prattling away merrily to them. Heaven knows how endlessly the two of them pamper and spoil him and his darling human._

Geralt leads Roach by the reins to the stable at the back of the house. Deciding that it will be alright to rub her down and settle her with her dinner of oats and apples a little bit later, and that another critter requires more urgent attention right now, he plants a peck on her snout, then leaves her in the stable, carefully shouldering his saddlebag.

Silently pushing open the door that stands only slightly ajar, he sets down the saddlebag, then gingerly extricates the kitty from inside. Jaskier always makes it a point to leave a freshly laundered towel on a rack right next to the entrance to their cottage, for Geralt to be able to dry himself off in case he is coming in from the rains. He makes good use of the towel today - spreading it out on the small coffee-table by the door, he places the miserably wet and trembling animal at the centre of it, then very carefully wraps the towel around her, and begins massaging her coat dry.

The kitty patiently puts up with all the massaging and patting and sponging without a single complaining meow, and just stares at Geralt with what he can only describe as unwavering, unhesitating, unbridled trust and adoration. 

_It causes a strange lump to form in his throat, and his eyes suddenly begin to smart a bit with unshed tears._

"You're just like him, you know, love? Trusting me like that ... like ... like I can never do anything wrong at all. Like ... like I am not a mons--"

"Geralt?"

He jerks his head towards the doorway leading to his bedroom.

Yen stands there, leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed in front of her and one eyebrow raised in quintessential Yennish challenge.

"I thought we hammered the self-denigration and self-loathing out of you, you great hairy lummox!"

Her voice is quiet, but he knows she would have raised it if they were alone in the hut. He is grateful she does not, because he does not want Jaskier to hear her reprimand. Nor Triss. And he flushes as a tendril of guilt and shame coils through his stomach.

Yennefer strides forward, then kneeling down by the coffee-table, scoops him up in a fierce hug.

"You are never a monster, brother. Far, far from that - you are the best man I have ever met, and I say that despite knowing Jaskier, Vesemir, Eskel and Lambert. So yeah, that's saying something."

The kitty chooses this precise moment to let out a soft mewling noise - clearly slightly miffed for having been ignored for one whole minute. _How dare they?_

Geralt raises his head from where it was resting on Yennefer's shoulder, and chuckles at the (pouting, he thinks) kitty, and Yen's eyes are drawn to the furball as well. She immediately leans forward and croons to it, scratching under its chin and stroking its head, and it all but melts into her touch.

"And if you want even more compelling proof, my favourite oaf", Yen says, not taking her eyes off the kitty, "Let me tell you that animals have an innate sense of recognizing those humans, or mutants, who can be trusted to never hurt them. Animals can sense keenly someone who is inherently kind and compassionate, and would never warm up this way to someone who is not. And you, Geralt, are the kindest man I know, brother mine."

Geralt blushes. "You put too much faith in me, Yen."

"Indeed I do. See to it that I am not disappointed", she smirks, tousling his damp hair a bit, "Now come on. We have been restraining Jaskier with difficulty. He would have gotten off the bed and gone in search of you ... he has been so eager for you to come home."

Geralt lets out a low growl. "That ... that ... idiot ..."

"Is your husband, and six months along besides. Of course he craves your company all the time. You can't blame him, Geralt. And no, we did not allow him to set so much as a toe outside the bedroom."

"Good", he says, feeling relieved, "Don't know what I would do without you two."

"Don't worry - we know you two are both utter dolts. Now come on. Let's take your new guest to meet your very pregnant and very querulous husband."

*********************************************************************************

Yennefer draws aside the floral curtains, and Geralt steps through the door, cradling the now blissfully dried and warmed kitten in his arms. Jaskier looks up from where he was giggling just a second ago to some joke cracked by Triss who sits by his bedside, his hands pressed to the bulge in his midsection.

"Ah! Finally! Look who finally missed me and came home. I mean - how _long_ have you been gone, Witcher? Do you even remember, when you leave for hunting down your favourite monsters, that there is a human waiting for you back home, and that you have conveniently, and quite unabashedly, put an entire baby inside said human, and that he is going crazy because you are not there to hold him, to comfort him? Or do you just sit down to enjoy a bit of ale with the monsters first, perhaps chat about the weather, and play some card-games with them, while your very pregnant husband is probably languishing in emotional _and_ phys --"

It's so quintessential Jaskier - it's like the moment Geralt makes an appearance, he inadvertently acts as a trigger that lifts the floodgate and words gush out in a frigging deluge. Geralt rolls his eyes at the sheer melodrama in the speech he has just been bombarded with, but inwardly smirks at the way Jaskier's mouth is currently hanging open, and his eyes are in danger of popping out of their sockets.

Jaskier gapes at the kitty currently nestled in Geralt's arms, who has just turned its huge, bright blue eyes at him and emitted an utterly exuberant "Meoww!"

"I-is ... is that ...", Jaskier opens and closes his mouth like a fish, and Triss and Yen snigger.

"Um-hmm", says Geralt sagely.

"That's a ... oh my go-- that's ... oh my ..."

"Finish the sentence, and you may hold it."

"Cat! That's a ... kitttyyyy!", Jaskier squeaks, and throws his arms forward, making grabby hands.

Geralt laughs, then stepping forward, places the cat in Jaskier's waiting arms.

_Immediately, the cat squirms and tries to snuggle up to Jaskier. And the moment Jaskier brings it close to his chest as if to tuck it there, kissing its head, it settles down on his swollen belly, lying spread out on it as if it is the comfiest bed ever, and nearly sighs with a contented, happy little "Miu!"._

"Oh my goodness", breathes Triss, her eyes wide, "It has immediately taken to Jaskier and the baby. Oh this is so, so sweet!"

Jaskier caresses the kitty's back, cooing to her. "Are you comfy there, love? Are you happy to lie on top of my belly, baby? Can you sense that there is a tiny human in there - even smaller than you?"

The cat's loud purr fills the room in reply.

"Jasky, I am going to go heat up some milk. And do we still have some leftover steamed fish from yesterday's lunch in the icebox?", Geralt says brusquely, his eyes filling with concern, "I don't think it has eaten in a while, although it does not look scrawny."

"Wait, Geralt ... are we really keeping it? I mean ...", the cautious hope and eagerness in Jaskier's voice is almost palpable.

"I found it alone and hungry and cold in the middle of the road, Jasky. If it lost its way and could not go back to whichever home it came from, then we have no way of tracking its owners' address. But if someone abandoned it that heartlessly, then they anyway do not deserve to have something so precious, so pure handed back to them."

Jaskier, Yennefer and Triss stare at Geralt, their eyes wide with admiration for the words and the firm, earnest tone in which he has spoken them. Geralt blushes a bit, and looks away.

"Alright then! It's decided, kitty ... you have just been officially inducted into our little family", Jaskier trills like a jubilant lark, then plants a "Muahhh"-kiss on top of the sleepy cat's head, "But we have to decide on a name."

"Is it a boy or a girl?", Yen asks.

"Let me check", says Triss, leaning forward.

She picks up the dozing animal, eliciting a tiny whine of protest from it. Then she examines it, and says "It's a girl!", with a dazzling smile.

"Perfect! Let's, um, call her ... Mithi?"

"Wait", interrupts Triss, an incredulous look in her eyes, as she softly presses her fingers down on the cat's belly.

"Jaskier ...", she breathes, looking up at the human next to her, eyes wide with disbelief, "You won't believe this! She's ... she's pregnant!"

"Oh my goodness!", Jaskier claps a hand on his mouth, and immediately becomes teary-eyed, "Oh sweetheart ... oh my little girl ..."

Jaskier takes the cat back in his arms, and squishes her gently, then rubs her tummy, "Just like Papa here, Mithi ... don't worry, my love, Daddy will take care of both you and Papa. We'll both be very happy here, and Daddy will shower us with loads of love, and we shall give birth to our little ones safe and sound, and then Daddy will shower _them_ with all the love in this whole big universe."

_He does not look up, and therefore does not see the way Geralt surreptitiously wipes away at a few traitorous tears attempting to spill over and sneak down his face, and his ruggedly handsome features light up with a smile so dazzling it can probably illuminate the entire wide world._

**************************************************

The four of them dine together that night, while Mithi voraciously devours the steamed fish and milk that Geralt heats up for her on the stove, along with some breadcrumbs soaked in the milk. 

Before Triss and Yennefer take their leave and head off to their home on the other side of the town, they pull the two men into tight hugs and plant kisses all over Mithi.

"Geralt, Vesemir and Lambert are coming over this weekend, so we have to stock up for them", Triss reminds him, "And I expect Eskel to show up anytime now, probably with armfuls of toys for the baby."

"Probably carrying an entire crib on his shoulders", Jaskier deadpans, and everyone erupts in laughter.

"And Geralt?", Yen asks.

"Yes, Yenna?"

"You'll be alright taking care of _two_ pregnant people? Because don't you dare hesitate to ask the two of us for help."

Jaskier steps forward and links his arm with Geralt's.

"The White Wolf can take care of our _entire_ family, including both of you and the other Witchers, and then some", he says, his chin raised, and his tone proud and brooking no argument, "But of course, I want you two to come over and pamper me and Mithi as much as possible. Carrying a baby is a tough job."

And everyone erupts in another fit of guffaws, and Geralt squeezes Jaskier's hand and presses a kiss to his temple.

******************************************************

The two make a nice, soft bed for Mithi inside a large earthen pitcher with a very wide mouth, adding lots of rags and folded washcloths and some towels to provide as much cushion for her as possible. But in the end, Mithi refuses to sleep there, and simply traipses behind them into their bedroom.

"Looks like she is going to sleep with us", says Jaskier fondly, attempting to bend and pick her up.

"Jaskier!", Geralt growls in warning, "No bending."

"Right, sorry", Jaskier mumbles, chastised.

Geralt first settles Jaskier on the bed, with lots of pillows and cushions stacked around him to make him more comfortable. He then picks up a very sleepy Mithi, and brings her close to his heart.

"Goodnight, Mithi baby."

_And the cat emits a very groggy "Meow", and boops the tip of Geralt's nose with her own tiny pink nose!_

Jaskier begins laughing, and Geralt just chuckles deeply and pulls her even closer, and she snuggles into the confines of his warm, broad chest.

After cuddling her for a few minutes (during which Jaskier waits patiently, his eyes misting up as he watches his White Wolf go all soft and mushy over the newest addition to their little family), Geralt gently deposits her on one side of his human, and she immediately snuggles up to him.

Jaskier, suddenly inspired, rolls up the hem of his shirt, revealing a bit of the tautened skin of his bulging belly. Mithi purrs happily, and burrows her face into the bare skin, and falls asleep almost immediately, beginning to snore softly.

Geralt crawls into bed, slowly and carefully so as not to jostle Jaskier and not to wake Mithi up. He scoots closer to Jaskier, on the other side, and puts his arm around his pregnant human's waist, his palm coming to rest, splayed possessively, on the bare skin of the lower part of Jaskier's belly.

Jaskier sighs contentedly, and nuzzles the side of Geralt's neck.

"So, you fell in love with a wee kitty after all, didn't you? Hmm?"

Geralt hums deep in his throat. "You have rubbed off on me, human, making me go all soft", he chides goodnaturedly, peppering Jaskier's lips and jawline and the exposed column of his throat with gentle kisses, making the pregnant bard moan, "And a good thing too. Because now our first child will have wee kittens to play with."

FIN!


End file.
